2022 World Cup Qualifying European Predictions > Nov 11th - 16th

[StevieDay1983]

Here are the odds for the next round of matches in the UEFA section of the 2022 World Cup qualification campaign. Give us your predictions and chosen bets from these games! 

[DarrenTse]

Greece vs Spain

11/11/2021 15:45

 

Greece

With nine points from six games, the third-placed Greeks might have delivered a good campaign so far. Greece were beaten 2-0 by Sweden in their last qualifying game. Defeat to Sweden was only their second loss from their last 15 games across all competitions. They had previously drawn their first three games and then won their next two before losing to Sweden. 

Spain

Spain sit second in group B with 13 points from six games. Spain have an unbeaten record in the campaign barring a single loss, and a 100% winning record, disregarding another draw. They ended their first international break with back-to-back wins in the World Cup Qualifiers over Georgia and Kosovo respectively. They defeated both nations home and away with a 2-1 loss to Sweden sandwiched in between.

Prediction

Spain could seal a second-place finish with a point against Greece but will look to win as they chase automatic qualification. The visitors have a strong squad and should get the win on Thursday.

Spain to Win

Final Results: 0-1, 1-2

[DarrenTse]

Germany vs Liechtenstein

Kick Off: 11/11/2021 15:45

 

Germany 

Germany are placed at the top of the table with an eight-point lead, and have so far had a perfect winning record, barring a single defeat. Germany became the first nation to qualify for the World Cup 2022 after cruising to a 4-0 victory away against North Macedonia last month. After suffering a shock 2-1 home defeat against the Red Lynxes in March, Germany were able to get their revenge in emphatic style. They are also on a five-game winning streak, and had scored a total of 18 goals in the process.

Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein's search for their first victory in 2021 goes on, after they were convincingly beaten 4-0 away against Iceland in their last qualification match in October. Liechtenstein have lost seven of their eight qualifiers for the 2022 tournament, conceding 23 goals in the process, with their only point coming against Armenia when they drew 1-1 in September.

Prediction

There's a huge gulf in class between the two sides to entertain thoughts of anything other than a comprehensive German victory. The home side might rest players but should still have too much in store for the visitors.

Germany to Win with AH -3.5

Final Results: 4-0

[BillyDuke1989]

Malta vs.Croatia

Malta
Team Malta in this qualifying cycle can only count on not the last place in the group. Now she is the fifth, but the sixth Cyprus is ahead only in additional indicators.
The Crusaders in the current cycle managed to get hold of only five points, beating 3-0 and playing a 2-2 draw with the Cypriots, as well as scheduling the world away with the Slovak national team 2-2.
They lost the other five meetings. Moreover, in four of these cases, they left the field without a goal scored. Last month, the islanders lost 0-4 at home to the Slovenes and shared the points with Cyprus.
On its own territory, Malta in the current qualifying cycle won one meeting and twice suffered a fiasco.

Croatia
The Croatian national team is fighting with Russia for the first line in the group. Two rounds before the end of the cycle, Malta comes second, but the Russians are only two points behind.
The Checkers won five games in the current qualification, drew two times and lost once. Last month, they defeated Cyprus 3-0 away and played 2-2 at home with Slovakia, which cost the Croats the lead.
Outside their home walls, the Checkers ones in this competition had four fights, in which they lost and drew once, and also won twice. And they conceded only one goal away.
Between themselves, these teams held nine meetings, eight of which were won by the Croats in one world outcome. In the first round of this tournament, Croatia won 3-0.

Match bet
The Croatians are superior to the Maltese in all respects, and will surely beat the outsider big. My bet in this confrontation on Croatia with a handicap (-2.5).
 

[BillyDuke1989]

Armenia vs. North Macedonia

Armenia

The Armenian national team is performing more than well in the current qualifying round. Henrikh Mkhitaryan and the company really claim the 2nd place.
But the situation in Group J has developed in such a way that the Armenians must definitely win not only in this fight. The final round of the Armenian national team will face a more difficult test - albeit unmotivated, but the German national team.
In the last qualifying round, the Armenian national team lost the least. The defeat against Romania threw the team as much as 4th place.
Of course, in this duel Armenia will seek happiness at the gates of the Macedonians. But the team clearly lacks really high qualification players.

North Macedonia

The North Macedonian national team has two matches left. Moreover, after the game in Yerevan, the Macedonians will receive the Icelanders who have actually lost their tournament motivation at home.
North Macedonia is currently ranked 3rd in the group with 12 points in 8 matches. At the same time, the lag from the coveted second place is only one point.
North Macedonia failed the last round. The Germans smashed the Balkans 4-0, repaying their spring sensational defeat.
North Macedonia played with Armenians quite often. Moreover, in these fights, the rivals beat each other four times.

Match bet

For the Armenians, this meeting is actually the last chance to compete for the second place.
North Macedonia needs to win exclusively in order to maintain its chances for second place.
In the battle of equal rivals, the factor of one's own field often plays an almost decisive role. Prediction and bet - Armenia wins with odds 2.85.

[BillyDuke1989]

Romania vs. Iceland

 

Romania

The Romanian national team is fighting with Armenia and Macedonia for the second line. Two rounds before the finish, she goes second, but the pursuers are only one point away.
Over the entire tournament distance, the Yellows have achieved four victories, three times they left the field defeated and once played a draw, the goal difference is 11-8.
The Romanians had two fights last month. First, they lost to the German national team with a score of 1-2, after which they minimally defeated the Armenians on their territory - 1-0.
At home in the current qualifying cycle, Romania has achieved three victories and has been defeated once, losing only to the Germans.

Iceland

The national team of Iceland failed this qualifying cycle and is unlikely to rise above the fifth place in the group.
During the eight meetings held with the Vikings, "there are only two victories on account (both over Liechtenstein), they drew twice and lost four games, scored 11 goals, conceded five more.
Last month, they drew a 1-1 world match with the Armenians on their territory, and also beat the Liechtenstein team 4-0. Moreover, with this win, the Icelanders interrupted a 5-match losing streak, in which they lost twice with three draws.
Iceland has fiasco twice and won once on the road in this qualifying round, beating Liechtenstein.
These teams held four meetings between themselves, three of which were won by the Romanians and the Icelanders won once.

Match bet

In the perspective of the fight for the second line, the Romanians can’t lose points in this game. We expect that the hosts will win this meeting and will do it without much incident.
Romania win with handicap (-1)

[BillyDuke1989]

Ireland vs. Portugal

Ireland

The Irish have already lost their chances of getting into the final of the World Cup. The remaining two qualifying matches no longer have a tournament value for them.
After six games played, Ireland, with only six points, is ranked second to last in their group.
The Irish team ended a five-game losing streak in the current qualifier last month. Stephen Kenny's team won a 3-0 away victory over Azerbaijan. In addition, in October, Ireland defeated Qatar at home in a friendly match.
The Irish national team has never won at home in the selection for the 2022 World Cup (defeat and two draws) and scored only two goals.

Portugal

Portugal, meanwhile, is second in the group, one point behind Serbia. But the competitor played one more game. That is, the Portuguese have a great opportunity to climb to the first line and win a direct ticket to Qatar.
The Portuguese have failed to win in only one of the six matches of the current qualifier. At the end of March, Fernando Santos' team drew 2-2 with Serbia.
After that, there were four wins in a row. In October, Portugal defeated Luxembourg 5-0 at home.
After Euro 2020, the Portuguese national team won five victories in a row and scored 16 goals.

This game can be called key for the Portuguese. If they win in Dublin, it will be enough for them simply not to lose to Serbia in the final match.
In the upcoming match, it will not be easy either, especially at a party, but the Portuguese will most likely beat the stubborn, but at the same time, rather primitive Ireland.
Bet - Portugal wins + total under 3.5 in 2.06.

[StefanBB]

Ireland vs Portugal

The hosts cannot be happy with their World Cup Quals campaign, as they lost all chances to qualify. They are fourth in the group with only six points, but Ireland has improved its performances lately. The Boys in Green held Serbia to a 1:1 draw while beating Azerbaijan and Qatar in the last two games. Callum Robinson and the lads have been particularly efficient in those two matches, netting seven times. On the other hand, Ireland kept the clean sheet on the previous two occasions. Although they cannot qualify for the World Cup in Qatar, Ireland wants to continue its unbeatable streak.

Portugal is on a four-game winning streak, and the away side has a chance to take over the top spot with a potential win. However, they still have the match against Serbia that will decide a direct participant in the final tournament. A Seleção missed the chance to win only once in their 2:2 draw in Belgrade. Fernando Santos’ team has been the most disciplined one in the group with only four goals conceded. On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo and the lads have produced almost three goals per contest on average. Portugal wants to keep their confidence high and secure another victory on the road.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction

Portugal is a strong favorite in this clash, but there is no value in picking them since the odds are very low. We focused on the Asian Handicap market instead and will back Ireland not to lose by more than one goal. They were excellent in Portugal and suffered an unlucky defeat in the stoppage time.

Goals Market Prediction

Although they didn’t play against top-class teams, the hosts have improved their finishing. Portugal has been tight in the back, but we can see Ireland scoring, and neither side should keep the clean sheet.

Ireland AH +1.5 @ 1.85 

BTTS Yes @ 2.15

Correct score 1:2 @ 8.70

[DarrenTse]

Italy vs Switzerland

Kick Off: 11/12/2021 15:45

 

Italy

Italy suffered disappointment in the UEFA Nations League last month, losing 2-1 to Spain in the semi-finals of the competition, However, they come into this game on the back of a 2-1 win over Roberto Martinez's Belgium in the UEFA Nations League's match for the 3rd place. Italy have won four and drawn two of their six matches in this section, scoring 12 times and conceding just once in the process.

Switzerland 

Switzerland have won four and drawn two of their six Group C matches to collect 14 points. Switzerland enjoyed a strong October in terms of World Cup qualification results, beating Northern Ireland 2-0 and Lithuania 4-0. They will head into the match having a goal difference of 9, which is just 2 behind their opponents.

 

Prediction

Switzerland have not beaten Italy in any competition since May 1993. Switzerland are more than capable of picking up a positive result on Friday, but the visitors will be missing some huge players for this match. Therefore, Italy will be the favourites to win. 

 

Italy to Win

BTTS (Both Teams to Score)

Final Results: 2-1

[DarrenTse]

England vs Albania 

Kick Off: 11/12/2021 15:45

 

England

With six wins and two draws from eight outings so far, England currently hold a three-point lead atop the rankings. While they disappointed in their last qualifying game, stuttering to a 1-1 draw with Hungary, England are still unbeaten in their group and have scored 24 goals while only conceding three in return. Before the draw with Hungary, England got a comprehensive 5-0 thrashing of Andorra.

Albania 

Albania are still in with a shot of a top-two finish as they occupy third place. After recording their third victory and third clean sheet of Qualifying on the bounce against Hungary, Albania fell 0-1 at home to Poland in the previous round only after conceding a late goal in what was the only shot on target by the Polish team, which made them below their counterparts in the standings. Albania conceded only one goal in the last four World Cup qualifiers.

Prediction

This is the clash between the top two defensive lines in the group. England are under pressure to respond following their disappointing showing against Hungary. Knowing how tough Albania have been to break down recently, expect Albania not to lose by two or more goals difference.

 

Albania to be unbeaten with AH +2

[_Ghost_]

Here are some goals-based stats for the European nations since the start of 2018/19 (competitive matches only)

[StevieDay1983]

Republic of Ireland vs Portugal

The final international window for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers to be played is underway and we start the action on Thursday and the first game I want to cover is when Republic of Ireland host Portugal in a 7:45pm GMT kick-off at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The dream is over for the home team and they must simply hope to still be within a victory of Luxembourg ahead of their final game to avoid finishing 4th in the group against an away side wanting a win to keep their automatic qualification hopes in their favour.

Republic of Ireland saw their hopes of reaching next year's World Cup die a while ago now so they're simply playing for pride and for their seeding for future tournament qualification. The Boys in Green have experienced a turgid campaign with Stephen Kenny's men in 4th place and 1 point behind minnows Luxembourg with two games left to play. The two sides meet in the final group game next week so Republic will want to avoid being 4 points behind their rivals heading into that fixture. Despite this campaign being a disappointment there is a feeling of optimism around the Irish side with the team now unbeaten in their last 4 games and suffering just 1 loss in their previous 8 matches. That solitary defeat was the 2-1 loss away to Portugal when Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in the last few minutes to deny Ireland a famous win.

Portugal come into this game in 2nd place in Group A and 1 point behind group leaders Serbia with a game in hand. There remains some bitterness after the controversial manner of the sides' 2-2 draw back in March when Ronaldo had what would have been a winning goal unfairly ruled out. Head coach Fernando Santos will be without Manchester City's in-form attacking midfielder Bernardo Silva due to fatigue but that decision will allow him to be available for Portugal crunch last game at home to Serbia to decide who will qualify automatically for the World Cup. The result here will decide what result Portugal will need in that game so earning a draw or win here would mean they only need a draw against Serbia. If they lose here then nothing but a win will do.

The pressure is on both sides here for different reasons. Republic of Ireland will not want to finish lower than Luxembourg but, realistically, there's every chance Luxembourg could get something out in Azerbaijan in the other game in this group on Thursday. Portugal will want to get the victory to take the pressure off their final game with Serbia. I just think as tough as Ireland will make it for Portugal it's hard to see Portugal not taking the win here and you always have to back Ronaldo to score on the big stage when it matters.

Portugal HT/FT @ 2.06 with Sporting Index

Anytime Scorer: Cristiano Ronaldo @ 1.79 with Unibet

[StefanBB]

Italy vs Switzerland

The home side’s unbeatable run ended in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals, as Spain celebrated a 2:1 victory. Nevertheless, the defending European champions finished third after beating Belgium with the same result. Italy is joint first along with their upcoming rivals in the World Cup Quals, and their advantage should be playing this important match at home. Roberto Mancini’s side hasn’t been too tight in the back lately, as they kept the clean sheet twice on the previous nine occasions. On the other hand, Ciro Immobile and the lads have been pretty productive, failing to score only once in the last 21 games. Italy still hasn’t suffered a defeat in the qualifiers, and they want to win and secure the top spot.

Switzerland faced Italy in EURO 2020, and they suffered a heavy 3:0 defeat. However, they are in a better form now and will search for revenge. The away side also hasn’t tasted a defeat yet, and if they continue that unbeatable run, they will stay in the race for the top spot. Vladimir Petkovic’s side has been very disciplined in the back, as they conceded only once in the qualifiers. Manuel Akanji and the lads kept the clean sheet four times in a row, and another tight defensive display would increase their chances of taking a point at least. However, a very challenging task is ahead of the visitors, and we should see a tough battle.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction

Italy hasn’t been consistent lately, while Switzerland is the rival which shouldn’t be underestimated. However, Azzurri play in front of their fans, and they should secure a vital victory in Rome.

Goals Market Prediction

Their head-to-head clashes have usually been low-scoring ones, and due to the importance of this game, we don’t expect many goals here. Switzerland has been tight in the back, while Italy will be patient in building their attacks. Therefore, this encounter should stay under a 2.5 margin.

Italy to Win @ 1.60 

Under 2.5 FT @ 1.75 

Correct score 2:0 @ 6.60

[DarrenTse]

France VS Kazakhstan

Kick Off: 11/13/2021 15:45

 

France

French beat the world's first place Belgium and the world's seventh place Spain in the 

UEFA Nations League semi-finals and finals earlier. Benzema and Mbappé were in excellent condition and scored goals respectively, helping the team win the championship finally. The team have achieved three consecutive victories in various events, which are in excellent condition. In the last round of world preliminaries, they defeated Finland 2-0. They currently rank 1st in the in group D with an unbeaten record, three points higher than Ukraine, which was second, and the qualifying situation is quite optimistic.

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan currently rank 125th in the world, far from the strength of France. At present, they are difficult to win one of the seven group games, with only 3 points at the bottom. The overall situation is bad for having failed to win the last 14 events. Recently, the team have been blocked by two goals from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Finland, and the performance at both ends of attack and defense is very poor. The back defense is like a dummy. So far, 12 goals have been conceded in 7 group games.

Prediction

Due to the large gap between the strength of the two sides, French have beat Kazakhstan 2-0 in the first leg and have3 an absolute advantage. Considering the recent high morale of the French, and the data gives sufficient support to them. On the whole, there is no problem for France to win.

 

Pick: France

Final Result: 3-0

Edited November 12, 2021 by DarrenTse

[DarrenTse]

Belgium VS Estonia

Kick Off: 11/13/2021 15:45

 

Belgium

There is no doubt that Belgium is the strongest team in this group. Even if they don't do their best, other opponents in the group can't grab the first place from them. Although Belgium have suffered successive losses in the UEFA Nations League, they are still confident to return to the World Cup qualifier. They beat Belarus 0-1 away in the last round. At present, the team remain unbeaten and are at the top of the group. If they win this game, which are expected to qualify in advance. The team have scored 21 goals and conceded 4 goals in the previous 6 rounds, showing a high standard at both ends of attack and defense. However, Lukaku was absent due to injury, and Tielemans and Alderweireld left the training base also due to injury.

Estonia

Most of the players in Estonia play in the domestic league, and their personal ability and fame are certainly not comparable to Belgium. They performed as badly in this World Cup qualifier as Belarus. They lost a goal to Wales in the last round. After six rounds, they won only one game and ranked 4th in the group. They have long lost the hope of qualifying. After conceding 16 goals in the previous six rounds of group games, many loopholes were exposed in their defense.

Prediction

There will certainly be no suspense in this game. Belgium will easily win the game without accident. The only suspense is how many goals they can win. From the data point of view, it also gives Belgium strong support.

Pick: Belgium

Total: Over 3.5/4 goals

[BillyDuke1989]

Austria vs. Israel

Austria
Austria, which lost three of its last five matches in the 2022 World Cup qualifier, dropped to fourth place in the group F standings. In the previous qualifying round, the national team lost to the leader of Denmark 0-1, and before that it managed to register a third victory - in an away game against the Faroe Islands 0-2.
In addition to the above, I will add that Austria ended the last three matches in the group by winning bets on Total Under 2.5 goals, having scored only two goals in this series of bouts.

Israel
Israel, with 13 points in eight qualifying rounds, is third in the Group F standings, four points behind second. In the previous round of the qualifying round, the national team scored a fourth victory, beating Moldova 2-1 at their home stadium.
Also note that Israel's five previous away matches in all tournaments ended with a bet on Total Over 2.5 goals.

Prediction
Austria and Israel will remain in the fight for second place only if they win the upcoming game. You should also take into account a couple of facts from statistics - the teams scored goals to each other in 4 face-to-face meetings on the Austrian field, and Israel scored at least 2 goals in 4 out of 5 previous qualifying rounds. With this in mind, teams will have to play with an offensive focus.

I recommend betting on Total Over 2.5 goals.

[BillyDuke1989]

Andorra vs. Poland

Andorra
The Andorran national team was able to get two victories at once in the current qualifying campaign. This can only be attributed to the fact that there is San Marino in the group of this collective. It was this opponent that the hosts beat on two occasions. Alvarez's team looked toothless in the rest of the meetings and was never able to impose competition on rivals. After scoring three points in the last round, the team is on the fifth line in the table, having 6 points in the asset.

Poland
The Polish team has not yet lost the chances of winning a direct ticket to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Two rounds before the finish of the selection, the Poles are two points behind England, placing themselves on the second line in the overall standings. The team of Paulo Souza managed to defeat their rival in second place in the last match, namely, they beat Albania with a score of 1-0 on its field. This result practically guaranteed himself participation at least in the play-off matches for the World Cup.

Prediction
The hosts are considered the clear underdogs of the upcoming match. The Poles play confidently against Andorra, as evidenced by the team's two crushing victories with a total score of 7-0 over their rivals. This meeting is unlikely to be anything different from the previous ones, my bet will be in favor of the home team.

Bet: Poland wins with a handicap (-2.5)

[BillyDuke1989]

Montenegro vs. Netherlands

Montenegro
The Montenegrin national team is ranked fourth in the group after eight matches played. At the moment, the hosts have 11 points.
Montenegro has already lost its chances of reaching the final of the World Cup.
In October, the Montenegrin team won an away victory over Gibraltar and were defeated by Norway.
In three home games of the current qualification, Montenegro scored four points, losing so far only to the Norwegians.

Netherlands
The Netherlands are single-handedly leading their group after eight rounds. Now the Orange team has 19 points - two more than Norway, which they will face in the final round.
Since the appointment of Louis van Gaal as head coach, the Netherlands national team has played five matches in the current selection, in which they have scored 13 points.
On the first day of September, the Netherlands drew with Norway, after which they issued a streak of four victories, including over Turkey with a score of 6-1. The Netherlands have scored 29 goals in eight 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

Prediction
The Netherlands have improved significantly since the team was led by experienced van Gaal. In September, the Dutch defeated Montenegro 4-0 at home. This time, it is unlikely that it will come to a pogrom, the Netherlands needs to spare strength for a meeting with Norway, but the guests will still take three points.
The bet is the victory of the Netherlands + the total of the match is less than 3.5 in 2.01.

[BillyDuke1989]

Italy vs. Switzerland

Italy
The Italian national team after six games played takes the first place in the group. At the moment, the Italians have 14 points, and they are ahead of the Swiss only in additional indicators.
In October, the reigning European champions took part in the final of the League of Nations. In the semifinals, Italy lost to Spain 1-2. The key was the removal of Leandro Bonucci at the end of the first half. In the match for third place, Roberto Mancini's team defeated Belgium 2-1.
Italy has never lost in the current selection. But, for example, the 1-1 home draw with Bulgaria in early September was a big disappointment.
The Italians scored seven points in three home matches of the 2022 World Cup qualification and conceded only one goal.

Switzerland
The Swiss, meanwhile, also scored 14 points and occupy the second place in the group.
Murat Yakin's team has already guaranteed itself at least participation in the play-offs, but, apparently, it intends to fight for a direct ticket to the 2022 World Cup.
Like the Italian national team, Switzerland also has never lost in the selection. The home meeting with Italy in early September ended in a 0-0 draw.
In the remaining five matches, the Swiss conceded only one goal.

Prediction
The Swiss do not have the most pleasant memories from their previous visit to Rome. In mid-June, Squadra Azzurra defeated Switzerland at the Stadio Olimpico.
But the losing side made the most correct conclusions. In September, the match between these teams ended in a draw, although Switzerland had chances to snatch victory.

Bet - Both Teams To Score In 2.09.
 

[StevieDay1983]

Moldova vs Scotland

The 2022 World Cup qualification in the UEFA section continues on Friday night a penultimate round of matches in Group F. Bottom-placed Moldova host current play-off pole position side Scotland in a 5pm GMT kick-off at the Zimbru Stadium in Chisinau. This qualification campaign might be effectively over for the home team but victory for the away side would guarantee the visitors a play-off spot which would also most likely be a home draw in the semi-finals.

Moldova are undoubtedly coming into this game with an expectation of damage limitation. Head coach Roberto Bordin has seen his team take just 1 point from their 8 group games so far and that was in their opening fixture at home against Faroe Islands. That means it's been 7 competitive defeats in a row. The team did pick up a 1-0 friendly win at home against Azerbaijan back in June but that does little to instil faith that they can buck the losing trend here. Especially given they have a goal difference of -20 so far having only scored 4 goals in this group.

Scotland continue to look decent under head coach Steve Clarke. The Tartan Army are sitting proudly in 2nd place on 17 points after 8 games. Group leaders Denmark have already booked their spot in the 2022 World Cup finals tournament so being a runner-up is the best that Scotland can hope for. The team are 4 points ahead of 3rd placed Israel so a win here would secure their play-off place. The anticipated seedings process means that it's also likely that Scotland will earn a home draw if they finish 2nd in this group so it's all to play for. It's 4 wins on the bounce for Scotland now including 3 clean sheets.

This looks like a game that has a sense of inevitability around it. Scotland will undoubtedly be emphasising a need to not take anything for granted but with them being 1 win away from a play-off spot and having Moldova as their chance to seal that win it does feel like it's done. Moldova just look like they want this campaign to be over so they can focus on the next one. I can't see Scotland steam rollering their hosts but it should be a standard win maybe even with a clean sheet again.

Scotland -1 @ 1.70 with Boylesports

Scotland to Win to Nil @ 1.62 with Boylesports

[StevieDay1983]

Northern Ireland vs Lithuania

The next preview from this round of games in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers from the UEFA section is the clash between Northern Ireland and Lithuania in Group C at 7:45pm GMT from Windsor Park in Belfast. Neither side can qualify for the 2022 World Cup next year so the process to build and prepare for the 2024 European Championship is already underway but can either side pick up the 3 points here?

Northern Ireland might be in 4th place and just 2 points off the bottom of their qualification group here but head coach Ian Baraclough will feel this is a chance to evolve the national team. It's been a tough period for the Green and White Army with just 3 wins coming in their last 20 matches and those victories came against the minnows of Malta, Lithuania, and Estonia. Baraclough has started to introduce a number of younger players to his squads such as Conor Hazard, Jamal Lewis, Daniel Ballard, Conor Bradley, Ali McCann, Ethan Galbraith, and Dale Taylor but they are all still some way off being capable of having a team built around them. Darker days could be ahead before brighter times arrive. The optimistic news is that Northern Ireland have only lost 1 of their last 5 home games.

Lithuania sit bottom of the group with just 3 points thus far and that was a solitary 3-1 win at home against Bulgaria. Head coach Valdas Ivanauskas knows his team face a big challenge against a team that they lost 4-1 against on home turf just 2 months ago but winning this game would lift them off the foot of the table so there's a huge incentive there. Unfortunately, Lithuania's away record is pretty abysmal over recent times having lost their last 6 games on the road and failing to even register a goal in 5 of those matches. It's also been a long time since Lithuania kept a clean sheet on the road. That came on 7th September, 2020 in a UEFA Nations League game against Albania.

It's generally been a disappointing campaign for both of these sides so far but this is a chance for one of these teams to end their campaign on a high. It looks like their co-efficient will likely suffer no matter what but damage limitation is the key phrase. Northern Ireland probably need the win more than Lithuania and I expect them to get it. Lithuania are a dire side at the moment and need a serious revolution to improve.

Northern Ireland HT/FT @ 2.26 with Sporting Index

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.75 with SBK

[StevieDay1983]

England vs Albania

The final game I'm previewing from the Friday fixtures in the 2022 World Cup qualification matches from the UEFA section is the Group I match-up between group leaders England and play-off chasing Albania in a 7:45pm GMT kick-off at Wembley Stadium. There is a chance for the host team to seal their place at next year's finals tournament if results go their way but their opponents could also blow automatic qualification in this group wide open if they snatch a shock win.

England were looking well set to cruise to automatic qualification for the 2022 World Cup but drawing two of their last three group matches has allowed both Poland and Albania to sneak back into the reckoning. Head coach Gareth Southgate knows his team will be overwhelming favourites to win this game having gone undefeated in their last 8 home matches and winning 7 of those games. The Three Lions do have a final group game against minnows San Marino so even a loss here would unlikely prevent them from finishing top of the group due to their superior goal difference but you never know. The defence was something that was key to England's success at the 2020 European Championship but the team have now kept just three clean sheets in their last 7 matches and two of those came against part-timers Andorra.

Albania could be a potential banana skin coming into this game. The Red and Blacks are in 3rd place and just 5 points behind first placed England and 2 points behind 2nd placed Poland. Head coach Edoardo Reja has seen his team win 3 of their last 4 matches but their most recent competitive game was a narrow 1-0 loss at home to Poland which was a big blow. It'll be interesting to see how the team bounces back from that gut-wrenching loss. Attack remains a big threat for Albania with the team scoring in 10 of their last 13 international matches and with England's defence looking quite rickety at the moment this will certainly be a cause for concern for the home team.

Will this be the game that delivers World Cup qualification for England? A win would all but seal it and if they win with Poland dropping points against Andorra away then it's confirmed but, let's be honest, that's not happening. Something just doesn't quite feel right about England right now. Too many players are out-of-form or not playing regularly and this is impacting the defence in particular. I think England will still win here but it won't be pretty. Albania are coming to crash the party and will drag England down with them if needs be. I'm backing an England win in a battle of attrition.

England to Win & BTTS @ 4.33 with Boylesports

Total Goals Scored Over 2.5 @ 1.82 with VBet

[StevieDay1983]

Wales vs Belarus

The 2022 World Cup qualifiers in the UEFA section are winding down with the last batch of the penultimate round of matches from the group stage coming up on Saturday. The focus of my attention is the 7:45pm GMT clash between Wales and Belarus at the Cardiff City Stadium in Group E. The home side have already guaranteed a play-off spot through their UEFA Nations League performance but require two wins to realistically earn a seeding and home draw for those play-off games.

Wales come into this game safe in the knowledge that the play-offs await but these next two games will determine what sort of challenge that entails. Robert Page's side are 3rd in their qualification group and levels on points with 2nd placed Czech Republic but only behind on goal difference with a game in hand. It is still technically possible to catch group leaders Belgium if they slip up top Estonia on Saturday and Wales then beat them in the final group game but that would be a miracle. The Dragons have close to a fully fit squad available with the big guns of Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, and Kieffer Moore all available. The only real absentees of note are Ben Cabango, David Brooks, and Matt Smith.

Belarus sit bottom of the group with just 1 win in this qualification campaign. Head coach Georgi Kondratiev saw his team almost earn a shock win over Wales in the reverse fixture but ultimately lost 3-2 thanks to some individual inspiration from Bale. It's now 7 defeats in a row for the White Wings and they are simply playing for pride now. Their last two losses have come by a two goal margin suggesting that they might not have the motivation that they boasted earlier in the campaign. They have also failed to even score in their last three competitive matches. It's 11 away games without a win in a run stretching back to 7th September, 2020.

I know that Wales are heavy favourites for this game but we've already shown against Belarus away and Estonia at home that we don't like to do things easily. In fact, that Estonia draw could well cost us a seeding spot in the play-offs which will be frustrating. I do always say though that a Wales with Bale and Ramsey will give anyone a game on most days and we should navigate past this challenge to set up an intriguing encounter with Belgium in the last game of the group.

Wales to Win to Nil @ 1.80 with Boylesports

Anytime Scorer: Gareth Bale @ 2.52 with SBK

[StefanBB]

Spain vs Sweden

The home side heads to this game after a tough match against Greece on the road. Spain managed to celebrate a narrow 1:0 victory that propelled them to the top spot in Group B. La Furia Roja is now one point ahead of its upcoming rival, and they just need to remain undefeated. Luis Enrique’s side has been in a solid form recently, booking four wins in the previous five matches. However, they failed to win the UEFA Nations League, as they lost to France in the finals. Alvaro Morata and the lads have produced two goals per match on average in these qualifiers, while they have conceded only five goals. Spain is very close to securing a direct ticket for Qatar, but they need to guard against complacency.

On the other hand, Sweden goes to Spain after suffering a shocking 2:0 defeat in Georgia. Although they had 20 attempts on goal, the rival was more clinical in the final third. That loss saw them declining to the 2^nd spot, and Janne Andersson’s side needs to go for a win in Sevilla. Sweden has had trouble playing on the road lately, as they lost their last two games away from home. Alexander Isak and the lads managed to beat only Kosovo on the road, and they need the best display so far to pick up a win here. It’s going to be a very challenging task, but the visitors won’t give up.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction

Spain shouldn’t miss the chance to take advantage of the “gift” their rivals offered them a few days ago. After three matches without beating Sweden, it’s time for Spain to celebrate. Since the odds on the moneyline market are slim, we’ll enhance them with the Asian handicap.

Goals Market Prediction

Although Sweden needs to chase a victory here, we don’t think they will find the back of the net. Spain will be patient and wait for the rival’s mistakes. Therefore, we believe the hosts will keep the clean sheet in this encounter.

Spain AH -1 @ 1.65 

BTTS No @ 1.70 

Correct score 2:0 @ 6.00

[StefanBB]

Portugal vs Serbia

A Selecao hasn’t been impressive in the previous round against Ireland, as they picked up only a point in a goalless draw. That hiccup prevented Fernando Santos’s side from booking its fifth straight victory. Portugal is leveled with its upcoming rival on the top spot of Group A. However, a draw would be enough for them to seal the first place since the hosts have a better goal difference. Cristiano Ronaldo and the lads have produced 16 goals so far in the campaign and conceded only four. They have a perfect record on the home ground but were confident only against Luxembourg. It is going to be another tough task for Portugal, as they face a much better team than Ireland.

Serbia has a successful campaign, and the primary goal is ticked since the visitors secured a playoffs spot at least. However, the Eagles don’t want to surrender without a fight. Dragan Stojkovic Piksi’s side goes to this match full of confidence after beating Qatar 4:0. Serbia has a very talented team, with Dusan Tadic, who has been impressive in Ajax this season. The away side also netted 16 times in these qualifiers, but their defense was a bit leaky, as they allowed eight goals. Serbia failed to win only once on the previous six occasions, and they will go for a win in Lisbon.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction

It is going to be a tight game that can go either way. We wouldn’t be surprised if Portugal slips here, as they will have certain selection troubles, the same ones against Ireland. Therefore, we’ll back Serbia to remain undefeated here, and we’ll see if it will be enough for the victory.

Goals Market Prediction

Portugal managed to keep the clean sheet four times in a row, but their rivals were much weaker than Serbia. The visitors have great attacking potential, they will field an attacking lineup, and neither side should keep the clean sheet.

Serbia AH +0.75 @ 2.25 

BTTS Yes @ 1.90 

Correct score 1:2 @ 19.00

[StevieDay1983]

Luxembourg vs Republic of Ireland

The final round of group stage games in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers in the UEFA section kick off on Sunday and the focus of my attention for this next preview is the dead rubber (unless you count playing for pride) between Luxembourg and Republic of Ireland in a 7:45pm GMT start at the Stade de Luxembourg in Luxembourg (in Luxembourg!) in Group A with both teams hoping to end their campaigns on a positive note.

Luxembourg have had a rather pleasing qualification so far with head coach Luc Holtz guiding his men to 3rd in the group heading into this final game. The Red Lions have picked up 9 points so far with two wins over Azerbaijan and another over Republic of Ireland. The 3-1 win away to Azerbaijan in their last qualification game did end a winless run of 4 matches mind. It's also 6 defeats in their last 9 matches so they remain a team that are considered underdogs for the majority of games they head into. It's 9 games without a clean sheet and only in two of those matches have they scored more than a single goal.

Republic of Ireland will be keen to get revenge on their opponents after the humiliating 1-0 loss they suffered in their own backyard back in March. Stephen Kenny has been keen to play down the term "revenge" but his side will need to win this game if they want to leapfrog Luxembourg and finish in 3rd place in this group. Failure to do so would end in an embarrassing campaign end position. Results have been improving under Kenny though and the impressive 0-0 draw with Portugal in their most recent group game extended their unbeaten run to 5 matches and making it just 1 loss in their last 9 games. Three clean sheets in a row also show the defence is really tightening up. When you consider how many youngsters Kenny has introduced including three keepers under the age of 23 in Gavin Bazunu, Mark Travers, and Caoimhin Kelleher , defenders Mark Omobamidele and Nathan Collins, and the attacking duo of Adam Idah and Troy Parrott it's beginning to feel more optimistic around the Boys in Green. 

This could well be a tightly contested game. Republic of Ireland will be fully aware of the sucker punch that Luxembourg can offer but they'll want retribution after that defeat earlier in the campaign. Yes, Ireland are away but you look at the odds on offer and given Ireland's current form they seem almost too good to turn down. I can see a solid Republic of Ireland victory.

Republic of Ireland to Win @ 2.20 with Unibet

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.64 with SBK

[StefanBB]

Scotland vs Denmark

Scotland secured a place in the playoffs, as they are seven points ahead of Israel, but they don’t have any chance for direct qualification. Steve Clarke’s side can be very satisfied with the World Cup Quals campaign, as they suffered only one defeat. Andrew Robertson and the lads have been pretty disciplined in the back, as they conceded only seven goals. Scotland’s home performances have been very good since they failed to win only once in front of the home fans. Although they can play this match without any pressure, it will be a great test for Scotland ahead of the playoffs.

Denmark has been perfect so far in the World Cup Quals, and they have already booked a ticket for the final tournament. The visitors celebrated in all nine rounds and conceded only one goal in the campaign. The only goal they conceded was in the latest match against the Faroe Islands, in which Denmark celebrated a 3:1 victory. On the other hand, Yussuf Poulsen and the lads have produced more than three goals per game on average. The away side doesn’t have anything to play for, but they want to keep the perfect record.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction

It is going to be an interesting clash, although everything is clear in Group F. Scotland has been pretty confident at the home ground, but we believe Denmark will continue its streak and celebrate another victory.

Goals Market Prediction

The home side has often been involved in low-scoring matches, as five of their six games stayed under a 2.5 margin. Denmark has been almost unbeatable in the back, and we shouldn’t expect to see more than two goals in total.

Denmark to Win @ 2.30 

Under 2.5 FT @ 1.60 

Correct score 0:1 @ 6.20

[DarrenTse]

Finland vs France

Kick Off: 11/16/2021 15:45

 

Finland

Currently ahead of Ukraine by one goal difference, Finland are yet to assure themselves of a second-placed finish. Finland's 10 men swept aside a full Bosnia & Herzegovina outfit to get a 3-1 victory. Before that, they 0-2 beat Kazakhstan away. Finland have found the net 7 times in their last six outings. The comparative number of goals that they have conceded in that time stands at 5.

France 

France will finish at the top of the pile after the match at the weekend. France are one of nine teams in UEFA qualifying yet to suffer a single defeat - winning four and drawing three of their seven games so far. On last time out, France enjoyed an 8-0 thrashing of their opponents. With that victory, France assured themselves of a first-placed finish in Group D and boast an unassailable four-point lead over Finland.

 

Prediction

Finland have produced some good performances recently. However, there is no denying the quality of France’s squad. As against almost all international opposition, France will be favourites to win.

 

France to Win

Total: Over 2.5 

[DarrenTse]

Wales vs Belgium

Kick Off: 11/16/2021 15:45

Wales

Wales are already guaranteed a position in the playoffs due to their UEFA Nations League performance. They are now second in Group E, three points clear of third-placed Czech Republic. Wales have won four, drawn two and lost one of their seven Group E matches, and they are unbeaten in their last five games in the section, picking up three victories in the process. Wales kept their dreams of clinching the qualification playoff spot alive last time out when they secured a commanding 5-1 win over Belarus.

Belgium

Belgium, meanwhile, have been the standout team in Group E, winning six and drawing one of their seven matches to collect 19 points, which has left them five points clear of second-placed Wales. Belgium booked their place in Qatar last time out courtesy of a 3-1 win over Estonia on home turf. Prior to that, Belgium were on a run of two straight defeats, losing to France in the semifinals of the Nations League before falling to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Italy in the third-place match.

 

Prediction

Belgium will head into the game in sky-high confidence after clinching their ticket to the World Cup. It’s trusted that this game will a thrilling contest, and predict the spoils will be shared in this one, with both sides canceling out each other’s efforts.

 

Draw, BTTS (Both Teams to Score)

Final Results: 1-1

[StevieDay1983]

Northern Ireland vs Italy

The final round of 2022 World Cup qualifiers in the UEFA section continue on Monday night and I'm looking at the Group C clash between Northern Ireland and Italy in a 7:45pm GMT kick-off at Windsor Park in Belfast. It might be a dead rubber for the home side but they'll be keen to end their qualification campaign on a high against the visiting European champions who need a win to guarantee their automatic qualification spot at next year's World Cup tournament.

Northern Ireland have endured a mixed bag of results during this qualification campaign but the Green and White Army head into this final group game in 3rd place knowing there is a strong chance that is where they will end up. Head coach Ian Baraclough saw his team beat group minnows Lithuania by a 1-0 score over the weekend to end a 3-game winless streak. Unfortunately, scoring goals is still an issue for the team in this campaign with the side being unable to score in 4 of their 7 group games thus far. In fact, they've only scored 1 goal in their last 3 home matches and haven't scored more than 1 goal in their last 11 home games.

Italy might be the reigning European champions and will undoubtedly be one of the favourites to win the tournament if they reach the World Cup but Roberto Mancini's men aren't there yet. The Azzurri need a win to confirm their place in the tournament next year with the team top of the table but level on points with 2nd placed Switzerland and only ahead of the Swiss by 2 goals on goal difference. The last time these two sides met at Windsor Park was in a qualifier for the 2012 European Championship and it ended 0-0. Interestingly, Italy have only won 2 of their last 8 matches within the 90 minutes regulation time so they aren't a side that are familiar with finishing games off in normal time. However, this is an Italian team that has kept 5 clean sheets in their 7 group games so far.

If there is one thing this game will be it's edgy and nervous. Northern Ireland will be keen to avoid making any mistakes that this Italian team will undoubtedly pounce on and punish them. Italy know a win is likely to be needed and even then they need to ensure Switzerland don't grab back that goal difference. I think we'll see a cautious game from both teams with Italy prevailing by a narrow clean sheet win.

Italy HT/FT @ 1.76 with SportNation

Italy to Win to Nil @ 1.78 with BetVictor